Techweek Chicago has just begun at the Merchandise Mart and already the fun is in full swing. There are panels to be attended and presentations to be watched, and we at DialogTech will be attending as many as possible to learn as much as we can from an event focused on the entrepreneurs and visionaries that make the tech space great. But there’s also another aspect of Techweek that drew my attention: the Food Truck Face-off.
The Food Truck Face-off began at 11 o’clock, with local favorites such as The Eastman Egg Company and Beavers Donuts rolling up at the very front of Merchandise Mart to compete for the appetites of Techweek attendees. Watching the crowds lining up for various fare, I saw five major takeaways that businesses of all kinds can learn from.
You Must Innovate
The idea of food trucks alone is innovative, but these restaurants-on-wheels continue to find new ways to set their businesses apart from competitors. Cupcakes and tacos were the expected fare of food trucks for quite some time, but now you can get anything from pizza to barbecue to pancakes on the street.
So the question for you, non-food-truck-business-owner, is this: what are you doing to differentiate in your space? What are you bringing to your probably-crowded industry? Start-ups know that it’s innovate or die, but what about established businesses? Doing the same old thing you’ve always done is not going to cut it forever. Look at food trucks and ask yourself what you can learn from them: some are unexpected. Some are a new spin on a classic dish. There are even food trucks for dog food these days, so maybe you can serve a different customer in a different way but in the same space. Think about it.
Your Branding Should Be Recognizable
As I stood deciding what I wanted to munch on, I noticed that my eye was falling on 3-4 of the food trucks and skipping over several of the trucks entirely. Everything smelled good, so it’s not that certain aromas were repelling me it was the branding. Some of the trucks had too much going on: designs, text in big loopy letters, and an additional main logo. Some of the trucks were too simple: a small logo where the company name was hard to read. The ones that had the longest lines were trucks like Beavers Donuts and Eastman Egg Company, names that easily tell the diner what is likely to be on the menu in the midst of a sea of other trucks. Their truck designs were clear and eye-catching.
You may not be driving your business around in a truck on the streets of your city, but the same logic should apply to the way you brand your business. Keep it clean, recognizable, and descriptive. I don’t have to guess what Beavers Donuts is selling, and that means when I want donuts, they’re my go-to truck.
You Should Be Engaging on Social Media
This morning I tweeted that I was going to Techweek but said I would be hiding from the crowds. (I don’t like crowds, guys!) Eastman Egg Company saw my tweet about Techweek and tweeted the following at me:
Talk about doing social media right! That’s how you engage with a potential customer. And when I got to the Food Truck Face-off, I felt obligated to stop by their truck and say hi, as well as getting a sandwich. They won themselves a sale just by engaging with me on social media and their clean truck design didn’t hurt either. That’s how it works, folks.
Remember the Power of Partnerships
Food trucks partnering with an event like Techweek focused on innovation and startups is genius. Exposure and a guaranteed hungry audience are all we can ask for, right? Remember this when you think about partnerships. Choosing the right partner for the right event can mean big things for your business the lines at Food Truck Face-off speak for themselves.
Choose Your Staff Wisely
A food truck only has a tiny amount of space, meaning that the people they hire to work that truck need to be easy to work with and okay working in tight quarters. This is probably a challenge for finding good, sticky staff. While your business likely has more comfortable accommodations for your team, it doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t be just as careful when choosing your employees. A strong business is built on a strong staff, so make sure your hiring process is thoughtful.
There you have it! Five tips from food trucks. We’re going to dive back into Techweek now come see us at booth #7-7121! and we hope to see you there!